Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week’s Meet a Mom is the lovely Highwood mom of two, and owner and client relations manager of ABLAZE Design Group, Ava Markoutsas!
Ava Markoutsas has big shoes to fill and she’s exceeding expectations. Now the owner and customer relationship manager of ABLAZE Design Group, a bustling design build firm and home goods store located in the heart of vibrant Highwood, Ava, her brother and husband have grown the once small painting company that her parents started 50 years ago, to a reputable full-service renovation and build company. As an owner, Ava has her hands in just about all aspects of the business, but one role that stands out for anyone who knows her is that of community connector. ABLAZE is home to networking events, design panels, realtor programs and more!
Get to know this incredibly bright, energetic and overall amazing human, favorite local spots (other than ABLAZE, of course), why she wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else but Highwood and her journey as a mom, business owner, and prominent figure in the North Shore community. Welcome, Ava!
Hi Ava! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi, I’m Ava Markoutsas, a Highland Park original and basically have never left. Although technically now I live in Highwood, just a few blocks away from our business ABLAZE Design Group. So that is super convenient! My hubby and I always said we wanted to settle into a community where we could just stroll into town and grab dinner or drinks and be close to the lake and friends.
You’re a mama! Tell us about your children.
Well, gosh what to say about my kids, hmmm. I have a stunning and smart 15 year old sophomore. I always joke around that she is 15 going on 21. She teaches me how to apply makeup and all the cool places to shop, and of course about how to tag and share properly on social media platforms. And then my energetic and sporty 12 year old son is a 6th grader. I secretly love to catch him on his Oculus playing Gorilla Tag, it’s the most hilarious thing you will ever watch. But more seriously, they are both amazing humans, and I feel blessed everyday that I get to hang out / parent them.
What are one or two fun or interesting facts to know about you?
We love to travel! One of the coolest and most spiritual trips I have ever taken was to Petra, Jordan during my brothers Bar Mitzvah tour in Israel. Petra is an old city carved out of Sandstone and famous for being in the movie Indiana Jones.
Another fun fact is where I met my hubby! George and I were always friends in High School right here in Highland Park, but we never dated then. We re-discovered our friendship after college and started dating shortly after that. Ironically, George used to work for my Dad back in highschool when our business used to called ABL. And now we are the owners!
Do you have a mantra?
I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. You never know what someone might be going through, big or small.
What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
Okay , well this could be a very long list, but if I only can pick a few then WOW this is hard.
My favorite Highwood Hangouts other than ABLAZE… are 28 Mile Distillery for the best hand crafted cocktails and live music on the north shore. And then Disotto Italian restaurant for my favorite 2 menu items which are the Foccacia Di Recco and Roasted Brussels. Trust me, you wont regret it, they are amazing!
In HP, I would have to say Nortons for a good time and good food. And then also more recently, I am obsessed with the spray tans at Legendary Spa in Highland Park. And I cannot forget to mention my commitment and extended family at Orange Theory Fitness. Truly the best workout on the North Shore!
What gets you through a tough day?
Starting off the day right is sooo important. Well, actually the first hour is just pure craziness trying to wake up my 12 year old and get him off to school. After that, I definitely feel like I deserve my Grande Breve Latte with 2 stevias from the Old Elm Starbucks. And then, if I can squeeze it in, I really try to get in my OTF workout to energize me for the work day. And then if it’s been a particularly crazy day, I am definitely calling my BFFs for some Nortons, Toadstool or 28 mile after hours.
Let’s get down to business! Please introduce your design build company, ABLAZE Design Group. What services do you provide?
The question is what don’t we do 🙂 ABLAZE Design Group is a full service design/build firm offering both remodeling and painting services. We can be your general contractor and/or designer on projects, so we work with clients in different ways. We also have a showroom/retail store in downtown Highwood with candles, home goods, and more for our clients to make their project selections such as cabinetry, flooring, tile, wallpaper and window coverings.
Photo credit: Betty NYC Photography. David Lipsky, Ava Markoutsas, Sandra Cretu
ABLAZE Design Group has a long and rich history on the North Shore and in your family. Tell us about this company from inception to now.
I am very proud to say that we are a family-owned business that has been servicing the North Shore for over 50 years. My parents started ABL (former name) as a small painting company and worked hard to build a successful and reputable brand name over the years. About 15 years ago, George joined forces with my dad and brought on cabinetry and remodeling to the business. Over the years, we have really seen a massive transformation. And now both myself, my husband George , and my brother David are all the proud owners of ABLAZE Design Group, letting my parents enjoy their retirement.
Photo credit: Betty NYC Photography. George & Ava Markoutsas, David Lipsky
What is your role at ABLAZE Design Group and give us an example of a day in the life at work.
In a small business you wear many hats, but I think my hats are the best. I run our showroom including buying merchandise and customer sales. But I think my favorite part is getting out there and meeting people through our marketing efforts. Within this part of my role, I run our social media team, attend networking events, plan events at ABLAZE, and get creative with our print ads.
What has been the hardest part of being a small business owner?
The absolute hardest part about owning a business is making time for everything and everyone in your life. Having a work-life-balance is a struggle, but one worth fighting for. Also, as an owner, all eyes are on you. Everything you say or do is noticed and critiqued both positive and sometimes in a negative light. So its coping with the negativity sometimes that is honestly hard, since in general I am an extremely positive person.
What’s an example of a recent project your team has completed from start to finish
We just finished working on a challenging kitchen remodel in Winnetka with several space constraints. Our clients really wanted to create an open concept space with a large island and wet bar. We went through several design concepts and ultimately landed on our clients dream kitchen. I will share some before and after photos. To see more of our projects, check out our photo gallery.
Winnetka kitchen before ABLAZE remodel
Photo credit: Betty NYC Photography. Winnetka kitchen after ABLAZE remodel
Do you partner with local realtors?
Yes, we have just rolled out a realtor referral program! We are so excited about this new program exclusively for realtors where they can refer and receive rewards and incentives, so it’s a win-win for us all. For more information, here is a direct link to our program: https://ablazedesigngroup.com/realtor-referral-program/
Are you looking to partner with any area trades? Go ahead and shout it out here.
We are always looking to collaborate with other local small business owners. We believe in the “pay it forward” mentality. We host a lot of events, and are always looking for ways to connect.
ABLAZE is very involved in the community. In fact, one of your recent events was a Women’s Connections event with local chambers. Any upcoming events you’d like to tell us about?
YES! And all of you are invited to attend our next free event called “Harmony At Home” which is a panel discussion about wellness and technology in design today featuring designer Jessica Margot, realtor Lauren Mitrick Wood, and our very own George Markoutsas. All attendees are receiving a fabulous SWAG bag and let me tell you, spots are almost gone, so check out the link to RSVP soon. Stay tuned for more events through this link.
What’s on the horizon for ABLAZE?
Well, we are excited about the possibility of being on HGTV as a unique opportunity recently came our way. However, more to be announced about that shortly when we know more information. In the meantime, we are continuing to strive for design excellence by creating amazing spaces for our clients.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about yourself or your business?
I feel so grateful and lucky to be the mom of 2 pretty amazing kiddos. And also to work alongside my husband everyday with a team of diverse and talented professionals to carry on the legacy of my parents and create our own story at the same time.
Photo credit: Betty NYC Photography
And finally, give us your dets!
Please do stop into our homegoods store located at 259 Waukegan Ave. in Highwood, located across the street for Miramar Restaurant. You can also reach us at (847) 579-1600 and [email protected].
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
